Location: So let them talk about us, let them call us funny things, people sometimes do. I dont care as long as you know I love you. Oh, and you know I do
Posts: 45,203
I've had it with my front loader - need troubleshooting
We've had it for about a year. Consistently, anything washed in cold ends up stinking like mildew. (I know I've mentioned it before here, bear with me)
For my clothing, this is about 75% of what I own.
I don't have a lot of clothes, but what I have to wear out of the house is either black, nice (too expensive to replace if it gets ruined), or cheap target tees that will shrink and be trash.
We do not leave them in there beyond when the cycle ends. They are immediately transferred to the dryer. I've used method and tide he and varied the amount. When you take it out of the dryer, it smells clean and like detergent. BUT (as is the case right now) when you sleep in it or wear it outside and it warms up from your body heat, it starts emanating funk. BLAH. I'm sick of it.
So, wwyd? This has been a problem for as long as I can remember. I chalked it up to DH not switching the load quickly enough, because that's what happened when we had a top loader. But, it's not that - I've been diligent and it still happens.
1. "strip" your clothes of detergent like you would diapers.
2. Then, wash them in sport wash
3. Do a water hardness test. You can get one at Lowes or Home Depot.
Figure out the hardness of your water and the quantity of detergent based on that vs. what the packaging says.
4. Clean out your washer and the rubber seal especially near the drain where mold and mildew can grow. Maybe even run a cycle or two of whites with bleach.
These are in no particular order. I do find that sometimes I will do an extra rinse if I am doing clothes that might have funk. It's really easy to use too much detergent.
Location: So let them talk about us, let them call us funny things, people sometimes do. I dont care as long as you know I love you. Oh, and you know I do
Posts: 45,203
Do you think it would help to switch to another brand of detergent - ecos or 7th gen or something? I think Misty has said that we have really hard water over here. How much sportwash do I use?
Location: So let them talk about us, let them call us funny things, people sometimes do. I dont care as long as you know I love you. Oh, and you know I do
Posts: 45,203
so, is it the ratio of detergent that is potentially causing the mildew?
We have that problem on occasion. I use a non-chlorine bleach with loads I think will need it. Also, I run a super hot "tub clean" cycle with plenty of bleach and also clean out the seals and everything to be sure it's not growing in the washer. I also hang my clothing on occasion outside in the sun (tough with all this rain, lol).
What kind of filtration do you have on your water? Anything? Does it come right from the city to your house? I ask because a certain amount of "scum" is normal and unavoidable, but if you see your intake hoses abnormally slimy or visibly slimy, that could cause the smell too. You can check the back tanks of your toilets to see how much slime is there. If it a lot, you might just need filtration.
I'd still test your water. Municipal water supplies come from different sources and that water can vary even within a city.
Is there any visible mildew? The rubber would be a likely suspect. As for sportwash, I go with the instructions. You might even soak your clothes in some color-safe bleach just to rid them of any critters living in them.
Location: So let them talk about us, let them call us funny things, people sometimes do. I dont care as long as you know I love you. Oh, and you know I do
Posts: 45,203
I will absolutely test. It's not a general funk - it's definitely mildew - and it's definitely just ones washed in cold water. Everything has to be washed in hot, hot (which is expensive, unnecessary, and harsh) and it's ticking me off.
I don't see anything funky or slimy. I don't know what filtration we have - I'll have to have DH check it out. It's upstairs (2nd floor laundry) and we just tore out the whole ventilation system this winter and nothing was amiss back there.
I don't see any visible mildew and it has been happening from the beginning. It just took me a while to figure out when/why.
I'm thinking of using some oxyclean next time - but I've been leery of doing that because you add the powder right to the tub. My BIL worked in an appliance repair shop and said to never use powder because it gets into the tub and works its way into all the mechanical systems, eventually causing problems (if you put it in first, really - he said if you DO use powders, to put them on top of the clothes where it can't get through the drain holes, but we just switched to liquid)
--- In our machine there is a drain seal by the door and I regularly check that immediately after I hear the "ding" that the load is done. If it has suds in it I always rinse again.
--- Lol --- my post was irrelevant == so deleted. .
-leave door open after wash until inside is dry, closing it after taking load out can/will cause mildew/smell
-once every other week run a hot wash with a cup of bleach and one or two towels
-use full amount of Tide HE
-test your water and adjust wash routine accordingly (calgon or whatever)
I'm sorry Sandi. I had the same problems with our very expensive LG Tromm Ultra Capacity front loader LG wasn't concerned or helpful in my opinion. We left it at our old house when we moved. I can't tell you how pissed I am. We spent 1k (-water rebates and a coupon) on the damn thing for LG to be less than helpful. I simply won't buy another LG product. Eh, it makes me sick to my stomach. Moving on...
So I bought an energy efficient, energy star rated Kenmore top loader. I really like it so far. It doesn't have as many bells and whistles as the LG and I really like some of the LG features, but I'll take less for clothes that don't smell like I washed something dead with them.
I have that problem too. whirlpool duet. It's the drum. If you take it apart it's probably caked in mildew. I had a link bookmarked on how to take apart your washer and clean it (it was easy to do) but I can't find it now. Mildew in the machine
For mine, I wash a load of whites once a week on hot with bleach (I have to for dh's undershirts to keep them clean). That seems to help a bit. I also have to clean the rubber part around the door area, and clean the window on the door (gets really yucky). I leave the door open after I'm done with the laundry everyday. Helps to dry it out and not leave that yucky mildewy smell.
HTH a little
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SAHMama to 4 beautiful little munchkins and one angel 6/26/05
Suprise! It's a boy!
We get the funk here too, but only if we don't take it out right away.
The one thing I was wondering about though was why you have to add powders to the drum and not the detergent cup thingie on the top where you add liquid detergent? What kind of front loader do you have?
Mine says right on the thing liquids here, powders, move the thingie up and then put the powder here. Gosh, clear as mud, huh? Anyway, both go in the same place - if you use powder, you just move the thing....although I admit to never moving the thing! I use liquid detergent. When I add borax or washing soda to a dingy or stinky or really dirty load, I just add the powder on top of the liquid detergent. When the washer starts, the water pours into the dispenser, disolving it all down into the washer.
The funk is no fun! I love it especially when you all get loaded into the hot car and....oh no! And it's too late to change because you're late already.
And you checked that big thick gray rubber seal where the door meets the drum? Did you pull it back? Mine gets funky in there. Itty bitty newborn socks used to get stuck in there too.
LG wasn't concerned or helpful in my opinion. We left it at our old house when we moved. I can't tell you how pissed I am. We spent 1k (-water rebates and a coupon) on the damn thing for LG to be less than helpful. I simply won't buy another LG product. Eh, it makes me sick to my stomach. Moving on...
Anyway, both go in the same place - if you use powder, you just move the thing....although I admit to never moving the thing! I use liquid detergent. When I add borax or washing soda to a dingy or stinky or really dirty load, I just add the powder on top of the liquid detergent. When the washer starts, the water pours into the dispenser, disolving it all down into the washer. 
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